At shortly after 11:00 p.m., the results of today's school district election were made known.
- The $58.5 million budget passed--566 to 371
- The $8.35 million capital project passed--623 to 300
- The $10 million energy performance plan passed--730 to 204
- Diana Howard--577
- Maureen Sheridan--515
- Mark DePace--471
- Mike Zibella--399
- Christine Sweet--274
- Jim Jacoby--166
The chart below shows the number of votes cast at each of the three polling locations. (Click on the image to enlarge.)
There are 10,523 voters in the Hudson City School District; 937 voted on the budget, 923 voted on the capital project, and 934 voted on the energy performance plan.
A ten percent turnout? As they say, a community gets the school it deserves. The problem is -- and this community needs to do some soul-searching -- do our kids deserve a school that can't teach them how to read and write? --peter meyer
ReplyDeleteEvery year when I walk over to the central fire station to vote I call it my “annual exercise in futility.” Which means voting in an election that feels like it’s rigged for a particular outcome that turnout is less than 10%. And I understand that it’s hard. The election is barely advertised outside of the school community, on a weird date separate from other elections; and even if the budget is voted down, they can just try it a second time and see if everyone shows back up to vote again. I know that the few non politicians who are politically engaged in Hudson are mostly focused on City Hall, but we’ll never turn this school district around until the community at large gives them attention. The fact that many transplants now send their kids to private school doesn’t help. It’s your kids, so I get it. But the school system is the largest source of our property taxes, and improving it would not only help us fiscally but would also improve the local job market, reduce crime, and attract actual middle class families who can’t afford to simply send their kids to private school.
ReplyDeleteThe good news in these results is that it does seem more people are paying attention. We had a choice of candidates and didn’t have to rely on write-in votes for a couple of moderately interested volunteers. Although from watching the candidates forum on YouTube I am still not sure what specific ideas most of the candidates had above general sentiments (not all), but they all seemed like they cared about the students. Also, voter turnout has been increasing over the past three years, and increasingly skeptical of the budget (“no” votes: 2023 24%, 2024 33%, 2025 40%). If the trend continues, we could likely have a budget voted down and send a strong signal to the board.
A particularly annoying part of the messaging around the budget is the false choice between voting “yes” and keeping extra curricular activities and sports. This is a tactic used all over the country, but it’s sickening to use student programs as a human shield as if we can’t cut 3-4 six figured redundant administrators to make up the difference.
Ultimately, as taxes make living here totally unaffordable, less families will move here, thus reducing enrollment even more. It’s a death spiral making the cost per pupil near the highest in the country. The only solution will be to combine resources and services with the other school districts, possibly consolidate all of them into one county district—as is common in other states. We don’t need one CEO level compensated superintendent for each set of primary/secondary schools, that’s what the principals are for. Mark DePace was the only person who brought up the point of pooling resources, and that’s why I voted for him.
That vote was difficult for me because I had the same observation after hearing the candidates debate: Based on what was said, there was very little to tell them apart.
DeleteI therefore did my own research and asked around. My local friend here in Greenport who graduated from Hudson High School seven or so years ago and who shares my views on the appallingly poor education administered by the HCSD said that DePace had to be avoided at all costs.
He is a strong believer in what Pennyman stands for and backs her. There's a good reason he didn't get the endorsement from the teacher's union.
It's interesting to me then that two people who I am pretty sure want the exact same thing came to a different conclusion despite making best efforts to be informed.
The BoE vote is a very important one yet it's shrouded in mystery and turnout as a result is terrible.
Interesting. Yes, I had my reservations about DePace because he’s an incumbent of the current regime, but he also was the only one who spoke on specifics and, while an incumbent, seemed honest not to sugarcoat the current situation.
DeleteThe other three that seemed to run together on a ticket were very coy about their positions, besides the usual dogwhistles that they are “from here,” which doesn’t make a difference to me. They seemed to hint that they had a change agenda, but then posted things like they’re “nostalgic for the old days.” What does that mean? They also said to vote “yes” to the budget, but post on social media using Twisted Sister’s “We’re not gonna take it.” So are you going to clean up shop or are you for the status quo? Not all of us are connected to the born-here townie gossip. If you think the superintendent and current regime sucks, then just say so. Some of us voters are pragmatic and will support you whether you’re born and raised here or whether you’re a cosmopolitan transplant with an ad agency. I just want to know who’s gonna fix this broken system and maybe, just maybe, not send me to the poor house come school tax season.
This pro tip can be extended to our current slate of city election challengers: if you want to win you need to start getting tough and specific on what is wrong with the incumbents, say their names, and tell us what you will do differently. Don’t worry about hurting their feelings or having their surrogates say you’re a meanie. It’s business, not personal. Be an adult. Peter Spear is being specific and it’s really resonating with people. I used to think he was a hopeless idealist. Little did I know!
The BOE vote isn't "shrouded in secrecy"; it's simply not covered by local media (Gossips excepted). And as Union Jack suggested, it's a bit rigged -- held in May all by it's little old lonesome; i.e. to encourage teachers and parents to vote. Overall, however, from the point of view of education science -- what works!!! -- Hudson, like many dysfunctional districts, is a dead zone. Of Pennyman's now infamous "Six Keys" for spending our money, four of them don't contribute to the education of our kids. It's pretty simple if you know the fact. --peter meyer
DeleteNote that I said "shrouded in mystery", not secrecy. :-)
DeleteBut you touch on a critical point, Peter: I tried to vote for the candidates that I expect would vote to not extend Pennyman's contract. However, none of the candidates explicitly talked about it so I had to read between the lines and I have no idea if I read correctly or not.
Jack is totally right: A candidate should have been blunt and just state publicly that Pennyman is terrible for the school district and should be sent packing.
Oh dear TVP, would'a could'a should'a doesn't happen in dysfunctional districts. If we had perfect candidates, we wouldn't have 70% of kids reading below grade level.... Thus, we have to alert the new board members that we expect them to .... do xyz. And we have to tell the exiting board members (at least 2) that we expect them NOT to vote on anything like new contracts before the new members are sworn in in July.... I constantly thank Carole/Gossips for giving us the opportunity to talk facts on these issues.... So, folks, NO MORE EXCUSES for our kids not being able to read and write!!! --peter meyer
DeleteUnfortunately, Mark Pace was a member of the board that presided over the worst four years in HCSD history (at least, the last 25 years that I"m familiar with).... This ain't rocket science folks; hire a superintendent who knows how to run a (real) school. --peter meyer
ReplyDelete